Electrical connector



Jan. 21, 1964 R. 1.. sHucK ETAL 3,113,720

ELECTRICAL commcroa Filed Nov. 15, 1961 ATroR/vEY Uited rates Thisinvention relates generally to electrical connectors and moreparticularly to a novel connector requiring no solder for mechanicallyand electrically securing an electrical conductor to a chassis or thelike.

In the field of electrical connectors, problems have arisen in providinga suitable connector that can easily and rcpidly releasably secure aconductor to a chassis and still provide a positive attachment wherebythe conductor shall not release when subjected to vibrationalenvironments. These problems are particularly acute in connectors foraircraft and the like as, in addition to providing the desirablefeatures heretofore mentioned, the connector must be relatively light inweight and small in size. Recent attempts to design a connector capableof performing these functions have resulted in connectors that arecomplicated in design, relatively expensive to manufacture and requireclose tolerances for alignment of the components.

In light of the inadequacies of the prior art, herein is disclosed animproved arrangement for positively attaching a conductor to a connectorand for securing this assembly to a chassis. Accordingly, it is theprincipal object of this invention to provide a structure incorporatingthe above desirable features.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide aconnector that requires no lock washer means for securing the connectorto the chassis.

A further specific object or" the present invention is to provide aconnector that will in one operation firmly attach a conductor theretoand secure this assembly to a chassis.

Briefly, the invention includes a terminal block and a locking membermatingly engaged and having alignable apertures forming a passage forentry of an electrical conductor when the locking member assumes a firstposition and means for releasably securing these members to a chassiswhereby the locking member is moved relative to the terminal block andthe conductor into a second position and the conductor is bent andpositively anchored within the connector. This invention contemplates astructure whereby one operation is necessary to accomplish theattachment of the conductor to the connector and the securement of theconnector to the chassis.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the followin description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention secured to a chassis with an electrical conductor attachedthereto;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional side view, partly in elevation, of the device inthe position shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the terminal block andlocking member; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side view, partly in elevation, showing themembers in their relative position for entry of the conductor.

With reference to FIGURES l and 2, a connector It is illustratedcomprising a terminal block 12 and a locking member 14. As illustrated,an electrical conductor atent 16 is attached to the connector and theassembly is releasably secured to a chassis is by a threaded stud 20passing through an aperture 22 in the chassis 18 and a nut 24 threadablyengaged with the stud 2 8.

With reference to FIGURE 3, the terminal block 12 comprises a baseportion 26 through which an oval aperture 28 vertically extends and acylinder portion 30 through which an aperture 32 diametrically extendsat an angle to the base 26. The cylinder 36 is horizontally positionedon the base to provide an edge surface 34 at the end of the base 26,which surface 34 extends substantially radially from the cylinder 39.The locking member 14 comprises a base plate portion 36 and a receptaclefor receiving the cylinder 36 comprising a post portion 38 extendingvertically upward from the plate 36 and an internally cylindricalportion 46 extending to partially encircle the cylinder 36 when thelocking member 14 and the terminal block 12 are engaged so that tieangle between the vertical surface 42 of the post 33 and terminal edge44 or the portion 46 is substantially equal to the angle between theaxis of aperture 32 and the base 26. The inside diameter of theinternally cylindrical portion 4%? is slightly larger than the iarneterof the cylinder so that the locking member 14 is engageable with theterminal block 12 by horizontally sliding the cylinder 3% into thecylindrical portion 4% and thereby permits the partial rotation oflooting member 14- about terminal block 12. It is desirable to have theangle between the axis of aperture 32 and the base 26 less than 45degrees so that the portion it? encircles the cylinder 39 substantiallybeyond the horizontal diameter of the cylinder 3% to insure a firmengagement between the locking member 14 and the terminal block 12 whenthe connector is secured to the chassis 18. It will be noted that thehorizontal displacement of the cylinder 3% on the base 26 is such topermit this partial encirclement of the cylinder 3% by the portion 4i).An oval hole 46 extends vertically through base 36 and is horizontallylocated to align with the hole 28 in the terminal block 12 when thedevice is in the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Apertures 48 and 56extend horizontally through arcuate portion 44} and post 3%,respectively, and are in diametrically opposed alignment with eachother. The diameters of the apertures 32, 48 and 5-3 are substantiallyequal and sized to receive the conductor 16.

With reference to FIGURE 4, the terminal block 12 and the locking member14 are illustrated engaged in a first relative position to permit theentry of the conductor 16. The locking member 14 is rotated upwardlyuntil the edge 44 engages the edge 34 whereby the apertures 48, 32 and5t) are automatically aligned to form a continuous passage 52 for theentry of conductor 16. The conductor 16 is inserted into the passage 52entering though the aperture 48 and positioned so the end of conductor16 does not protrude beyond the post 38 in order to prevent anyinterference with the entry of the stud 2d, which as illustrated may bea bolt. The threaded bolt 20 extends upwardly through the holes 22, 2Sand .6 thereby positioning the connector on the chassis 13.

With reference to FIGURE 2, the members are illustrated in a secondrelative position. The nut 24- is threadably engaged on the bolt 28 and,upon tightening tie nut 24, the connector H3 is secured to the chassisit; and the locking member lidis rotated downwardly relative to theterminal block 12 causing apertures 48 and 59 to be misaligned withaperture 32 whereby the conduetor 16 is bent in two places and becomesfirmly anchored within the locking member 14 and the terminal block 12.The double crimping of the conductor 16 prevents its unintentionalremoval while the connector it is secured to the chassis is. To removethe conduc- 3,1 3 tor L3 from the connector in, the nut 24 is loosenedand the resilient nature of the conductor 16 causes it to return to astraight position thereby rotating the locking member 14 to its firstposition and permitting the removal of the conductor 16. The resilientnature of the conductor 16 causes a return force upon being crimped whensecuring the connector 16 to the chassis 18, thereby eliminating theneed of any lock Washer means to prevent disengagement of the nut 24from the bolt 2% when the chassis 118 is subjected to a vibrationalenvironment.

it is noted that the force necessary to bend tl e conductor i isminimized by the configuration of the connector as the downward forceexerted on the locking member 14 by tightening the nut 24 acts through alever arm distance equal to the distance between portion 413 and thevertical axis of aperture 46. it is also noted that the ovalconfiguration of aperture 46 permits the entry of the bolt 2!)therethrough when the locking member is in a first position and permitsthe rotation of the locking member 14 when the nut 24 is tightenedwithout forceful engagement between the bolt 2% and the locking member14.

a It should be noted that the chassis 13 may be any electricallyconductive element, such as a bus bar or terminal strip. Further, themass of the connector it acts as an excellent sink for heat dissipationby radiation to the atmosphere or by conduction to the chassis or otherelement 13.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those ski led in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, the therefore, the aim in theappended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallWithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising: a terminal block including asubstantially flat base portion adapted to seat against a body to whicha conductor is to be electrically connected, said terminal blockincluding a cylindrical head and a neck projecting at right angles fromone end of said base portion and integrally joining said head thereto,the head being disposed in tangent relation to the neck and positionedabove the plane of said base portion with the base portion extendingtransversely of the axis of said head, said head and base portionsprojectin in opposite directions from said neck and said head having abore extending diametrically therethrough;

a locking member including a base plate adapted to seat upon said baseportion of the terminal block, said base plate and base portions havingregistrable apertures to receive a fastener for securing said terminalblock and locking member to said body, said locking member furtherincluding an intermediate oliset portion projecting at right angles tosaid base plate and engageable against a side of said head when saidapertures are aligned, and a semicylindrical arcuate portion projectingfrom said intermediate ofi'set portion in the opposite direction fromsaid base plate and extending around said cylindrical head of theterminal block, said arcuate portion and said intermediate oifsetportion collectively having an internal cylindrical wall of more thanextent, said internal cylindrical wall defining a cavity in which saidhead is snugly fitted, said arcuate portion having a free end portion inopposed spaced relation to said necl-z when said base plate and baseportion are seated o.e upon the other and being engageable with saidneck in an opened position of said connector in which said base plateand base portion are spread apart in flaring relation, said lockingmember having diametrically aligned bores in said intermediate oilsetportion and in said arcuate portion respectively, which bores arealigned wtih the bore of said head when said connector is in said openedposition, whereby said conductor can be inserted into the aligned boresand whereby, upon attaching said connector to said body by a fastenerinserted through the apertures of said base plate and said base portion,said conductor will be deformed between the bores of said head and saidlocking member respe tively and thereby securely clamped to theconnector.

2. An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said baseplate, said base portion, said neck, said head, said intermediate offsetportion and said arcuate portion are all coextensive in widthtransversely of said longitudinal axis.

3. An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the bores ofsaid head and looking member are of a diameter just slightly larger thanthe conductor to v be secured therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING: A TERMINAL BLOCK INCLUDING ASUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BASE PORTION ADAPTED TO SEAT AGAINST A BODY TO WHICHA CONDUCTOR IS TO BE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED, SAID TERMINAL BLOCKINCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL HEAD AND A NECK PROJECTING AT RIGHT ANGLES FROMONE END OF SAID BASE PORTION AND INTEGRALLY JOINING SAID HEAD THERETO,THE HEAD BEING DISPOSED IN TANGENT RELATION TO THE NECK AND POSITIONEDABOVE THE PLANE OF SAID BASE PORTION WITH THE BASE PORTION EXTENDINGTRANSVERSELY OF THE AXIS OF SAID HEAD, SAID HEAD AND BASE PORTIONSPROJECTING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM SAID NECK AND SAID HEAD HAVING ABORE EXTENDING DIAMETRICALLY THERETHROUGH; A LOCKING MEMBER INCLUDING ABASE PLATE ADAPTED TO SEAT UPON SAID BASE PORTION OF THE TERMINAL BLOCK,SAID BASE PLATE AND BASE PORTIONS HAVING REGISTRABLE APERTURES TORECEIVE A FASTENER FOR SECURING SAID TERMINAL BLOCK AND LOCKING MEMBERTO SAID BODY, SAID LOCKING MEMBER FURTHER INCLUDING AN INTERMEDIATEOFFSET PORTION PROJECTING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID BASE PLATE ANDENGAGEABLE AGAINST A SIDE OF SAID HEAD WHEN SAID APERTURES ARE ALIGNED,AND A SEMICYLINDRICAL ARCUATE PORTION PROJECTING FROM SAID INTERMEDIATEOFFSET PORTION IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM SAID BASE PLATE ANDEXTENDING AROUND SAID CYLINDRICAL HEAD OF THE TERMINAL BLOCK, SAIDARCUATE PORTION AND SAID INTERMEDIATE OFFSET PORTION COLLECTIVELY HAVINGAN INTERNAL CYLINDRICAL WALL OF MORE THAN 180* EXTENT, SAID INTERNALCYLINDRICAL WALL DEFINING A CAVITY IN WHICH SAID HEAD IS SNUGLY FITTED,SAID ARCUATE PORTION HAVING A FREE END PORTION IN OPPOSED SPACEDRELATION TO SAID NECK WHEN SAID BASE PLATE AND BASE PORTION ARE SEATEDONE UPON THE OTHER AND BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID NECK IN AN OPENEDPOSITION OF SAID CONNECTOR IN WHICH SAID BASE PLATE AND BASE PORTION ARESPREAD APART IN FLARING RELATION, SAID LOCKING MEMBER HAVINGDIAMETRICALLY ALIGNED BORES IN SAID INTERMEDIATE OFFSET PORTION AND INSAID ARCUATE PORTION RESPECTIVELY, WHICH BORES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE BOREOF SAID HEAD WHEN SAID CONNECTOR IS IN SAID OPENED POSITION, WHEREBYSAID CONDUCTOR CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE ALIGNED BORES AND WHEREBY, UPONATTACHING SAID CONNECTOR TO SAID BODY BY A FASTENER INSERTED THROUGH THEAPERTURES OF SAID BASE PLATE AND SAID BASE PORTION, SAID CONDUCTOR WILLBE DEFORMED BETWEEN THE BORES OF SAID HEAD AND SAID LOCKING MEMBERRESPECTIVELY AND THEREBY SECURELY CLAMPED TO THE CONNECTOR.